31 December 2010

Black Gay Footballer in Queen Elizabeth's New Year Honours List

The founder of Britain's first gay football club has been appointed an MBE in the Queen’s New Year's Honours List 2011.

Fifty-year-old Aslie Pitter was recognized for his 20-year-fight against homophobia. The founder of Stonewall FC tells the BBC that he is still "pinching himself" after after being appointed an MBE.

[Pitter said] it was nerve-racking being one of the first openly gay teams to "put our heads on the block" and start playing Sunday football. But he said the team had barely received any abuse over the decades.

Mr Pitter now manages Stonewall FC's second team. He said: "Being black and being gay I thought I might come in for a lot of stick. In our first game we were sharing a communal shower with seven other teams and I was pretty nervous. But it has never really been a problem."

Unfortunately Mr Pitter's father died only days before the announcement. He said: "It is a shame neither of my parents were around to see it."

Only one professional footballer has come out publicly. England international star Justin Fashanu was the first black player to command a £1m transfer fee but suffered vile homophobic abuse from fans and players after coming out in 1990. Fashanu tragically took his own life in 1998 at the age of 37.